KIRKUS REVIEW
A fish jumps out of their fishbowl and into the ocean and (almost) ends up eaten!
The story starts above water with an elephant and a fish in a boat. The elephant, Mike, naps. But the fish, Pat, takes a dive into bigger waters and sees other fish. Pat swims deeper and deeper and sees more and more marine life, including eels, coral, shellfish. The coastal collective rejoices—some even swim in circles—until a shark bursts onto the scene. A crab sounds the titular alarm—“Hide!”—sending all the smaller creatures into the nearest ocean nook or cranny. Everyone, that is, except Pat. Pat cries out “Help me!” just as the shark’s jaws are about to clamp down. Fortunately, their elephant buddy, Mike, comically sinks down and lands on the shark, saving the day. The fish, in appreciation, lift the heavy elephant back to the surface. Told mostly through narrative text of sentences of five words or less, this entry in the I Like to Read series shares its companions’ generous trim size. Some dialogue is conveyed via speech bubbles, and a larger font is used to convey emotion. In fewer than 30 words, Henry creates a bright, cheerful ocean world. The characters are expressive and inviting—even the scary shark is depicted smiling. The art, created using ink and paint, is boldly outlined and set against simple, gradated backgrounds.
A delightful dip into reading. (Early reader. 3-7)
